Help. My port rudder arm got snapped at a regatta last weekend. The tube broke where it joins the upper casting.

It was the older, bent kind. Can I replace it with the new straight kind or do I have to replace both if I go with straight ones? If I use straight ones, will my tiller crossbar need to be replaced? My crossbar is adjustable, but I've heard that the older crossbars are shorter to compensate for the bend in the old rudder arms.

Finally, if I decide to repace the upper castings - with adjustable ones - will those work with old lower castings?

You can replace the bent tiller arm with a straight one. The tiller crossbars have always been the same length. The arm bend is really up rather than to the side, so only small adjustments to the tiller crossbar length should be needed. You may be able to have the arm bent by a pipe company if you want. If you have one arm straight and one bent, all you will have is a tiller crossbar that is not level across the rear crossbar. One side will be lower.

Al, would you like to sell those older upper castings to good 'ol Mark Jones?

Al Scott wrote:

Help. My port rudder arm got snapped at a regatta last weekend. The tube broke where it joins the upper casting.

It was the older, bent kind. Can I replace it with the new straight kind or do I have to replace both if I go with straight ones? If I use straight ones, will my tiller crossbar need to be replaced? My crossbar is adjustable, but I've heard that the older crossbars are shorter to compensate for the bend in the old rudder arms.

Finally, if I decide to repace the upper castings - with adjustable ones - will those work with old lower castings?

Al, I bought a H16 that is solid, square, straight mast, but the gel coat and rigging was neglected. It was an ugly boat. I bought it at an auction for $360Can or $280US. When I paid for the boat they gave me a bundle of stuff that was in his locker. In the locker were new coated rigging shrouds and double tappeeze with reciepts, a wet suit, 2 harness's, and all the chemicals to clean the hulls. What a scoop. I have worked the hulls to an impecable finish. So good that I may sail this boat next year.
The only thing missing is the rudder system. I have rudders but no cross bar and other related stuff. What do you have?